BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh’s draft uniform civil code (UCC) says couples entering a live-in relationship will be required to register it with the registrar of the district in which they reside. The registration must also be formally cancelled if the relationship ends. Failure to register a live-in relationship could attract imprisonment of up to three months, it says. The UCC bill is likely to be introduced in the assembly’s monsoon session beginning July 20.The draft also says that parents of individuals entering a live-in relationship will be informed of their relationship status. Local police stations will maintain records of all registered live-in couples within their respective jurisdictions.The proposed UCC also empowers any person, including a neighbour or the landlord of the rented accommodation where the couple resides, to report an unregistered live-in relationship. Another provision states that if a man leaves his live-in partner, he will be liable to provide maintenance to her.The draft also proposes key changes to inheritance laws. At present, a deceased man’s property is generally inherited by his wife, children and mother. Under the proposed code, the father will also become an heir and will be entitled to a share in the property. The term “mother” is proposed to be replaced with “parents”, ensuring that if the mother is no longer alive, the father will continue to have inheritance rights.The committee constituted to draft the UCC has submitted its final report to the state govt. Personal and family matters such as marriage, divorce, maintenance, succession and inheritance are currently governed by different personal laws.It said there was a need to create a uniform and practical legal framework. A special cabinet meeting on the proposed UCC has been scheduled for July 19 before it is tabled in the House.However, the proposed law will initially not apply to the state’s 21% tribal population.
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